20-year-old hurler Lyles wise beyond his years

A first-round draft choice of the New York Yankees, he had a big arm and even bigger dreams. Arnsberg had no chance to make the team in his first major league spring training, but he was going to convince the Yankees otherwise.

So he had Jordan Lyles’ number. Arnsberg was sure of it. He had been ambitious and talented and desperate to impress.

“I’m expecting this guy to come out and try to light my eyes up as a major league pitching coach,” Arnsberg said. “I was expecting him to be grunting and groaning, wailing and flailing.”

Lyles doesn’t grunt and groan, doesn’t wail and flail. He is 20 and in his first major league camp, fast building a case to become a member of the Astros’ rotation. He has gotten this far this fast by being in absolutely no hurry whatsoever, by having the quiet confidence that what he does will be good enough to get him where he needs to go on the exact timetable it’s supposed to happen.

No strain. No stress.

“I’ve always felt like if you can kind of make it look easier than it really is, that really helps,” Lyles (6-4, 185 pounds) said. “I never try to put too much stress on my body. Sound like I’ve been there before and act like I’ve done it.”

The Astros took Lyles out of Hartsville, S.C., with the No. 38 overall pick of the 2008 draft. That pick was compensation for the departure of reliever Trever Miller, and the Astros are becoming confident they’ve hit the jackpot. The Astros’ reigning Minor League Pitcher of the Year has worked five innings spread over two outings this spring without allowing an earned run.

“He’s got tremendous upside,” Arnsberg said. “He’s going to be a lot of fun to watch. With health, he’s going to pitch a long time in the big leagues.”

Lyles is not one of those blazing young guns in the mold of Dwight Gooden or CC Sabathia with a fastball busting in at 95 mph. The fastball doesn’t get much beyond 90, and Lyles complements it with three pitches (curveball, slider and changeup) that Arnsberg considers at or above major league average. Lyles isn’t trying to short-circuit radar guns or strut overpowering stuff. He’s trying to get outs, the more efficiently the better.

“I’ve always been easygoing off the field and on the field,” Lyles said. “Growing up, I threw the ball harder than everyone else. At the same time, I knew I didn’t have to put a lot of stress on my arm. I just wanted to make sure my arm was healthy. I never try to throw too hard. I never try to do too much.”

High school star

As a high school junior, Lyles had a 0.85 ERA and led his team to the South Carolina Class 4A title. As a senior, he had a 1.86 ERA and batted .447 with six home runs. Oh, and he was a football star, too, setting school records for catches (81), yards (1,568) and touchdowns (23).

By 19, Lyles was a Texas League (AA) All-Star and had worked a scoreless inning in the Futures All-Star Game.

“He knows how to pitch,” Astros general manager Ed Wade said. “He knows how to pitch to both sides of the plate. We think we’ve got a guy who has a chance when he gets to the big leagues to pitch in our rotation for a long time. The way this kid profiles, he’s got a chance to do that at a very high level for a long time.”

In 3532⁄3 minor league innings, Lyles has struck out 372 and walked only 101. He has a way of dodging the fat part of the bat with a four-seam riding fastball.

A second coming

“It’s an easy, live fastball,” said Oklahoma City (AAA) pitching coach Burt Hooton, who won 151 games in the big leagues. “It has what I call a second coming. He’s got such an easy delivery that the hitters see it well and they think they’re on it, but when it gets to the plate, it gets on them a little bit quicker. A second coming.”

Facing the likes of Derek Jeter, Robinson Cano and Jorge Posada, Lyles made his spring debut on the road against the Yankees with two scoreless innings. He made his first start Saturday on the road against the Cardinals, allowing one unearned run in three innings against a lineup that included Albert Pujols, Matt Holliday and Lance Berkman.

The Astros committed two errors behind Lyles in his three innings against the Cards. He didn’t seem to notice.

“He doesn’t let anything get to him,” Astros third baseman Chris Johnson said. “He’s going to be really good. It’s amazing to think he’s only 20 when he acts like that. He’s special. Not only that, but he has the stuff to be a No. 1 starter.”

“Getting in the box and hitting against guys, it helps you on the mound,” Lyles said. “It makes you realize how hard it is to hit it. That’s just a confidence-builder to get on the mound and throw strikes, attack with your fastball.”

Majors beckon

Wade said that in a perfect world, Lyles will get more time in the minor s. Of course, teams coming off consecutive losing seasons don’t tend to dwell in perfect worlds.

“I can’t really control what clubhouse I start in,” Lyles said. “I can control the mindset I bring to the field every day. That’s really how I am. I’m just trying to get better. Wherever I go, I’ll try to get myself better. Whenever that time comes, I’ll be ready.”